Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a very good tale that is part western, part mystery, with a dash of romance, and a lot more. I enjoyed this quick and easy read and the characters are very likable. I would recommend this book to everyone.

Sooner Than Gold is a book in the Sheriff Tilghman Mystery series by J. R. Lindermuth. This book is set in rural Pennsylvania in the summer of 1898. The local coal mine has suffered a cave-in and when the rescuers break through to get the miners out, one of the miners is dead and another is standing over the body with a knife. However, the miner didn't die from a knife wound but rather was poisoned.

Although I hadn't read any of the other books in this series, I found that I was able to easily follow along with the characters as the author did a good job of bringing forward the history of the primary individuals from previous installments. Although the characters and their relationships have been well-developed, I found that there was perhaps a bit too much focusing on the life and activities of the characters outside of the actual mystery and its ultimate resolution. I also found that the story pointed out the actual culprit and motive early on and then the rest was just filler to create a justifiable reason to allow them to go free.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Sunbury Press and am leaving this review voluntarily.

A comfortable light read following on from earlier exploits of Sheriff Syl Tilghman in his late 19th century almost frontier town. An accident in the local coal mine, trapped men and rescue when one is found dead - with another holding a bloody knife in his hand. Murder then. Except that the dead man was poisoned. Intrigues with illegal gambling and cock-fighting, abusive men, rogue ladies not to mention travelling gipsies. Syl perseveres in between courting his Lydia and eating an awful lot of good home-made meals. He and his deputy get their person in the end. Thanks to NetGalley and Sunbury Press for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a quick and easy read that I enjoyed reading, it took me a whiel to get into the writing style but when I had got used to it I sped through the story. A cute and cosy historicsl mystery.

This wasn't for me, I couldn't get into the writing & the way that the dialogue flowed which is totally on my own shoulders as the style was meant to reflect the time in which the story took place. Therefore, this critique isn't worth much because truly what was sought after was indeed, achieved. This is a short book which I'm sure will be a smooth & easy read for many!